Psychiatric Technician Certificate

A career with compassion

As a psychiatric technician, you'll provide front-line care and support to patients facing mental health challenges. With a blend of empathy, communication skills, and clinical knowledge, you’ll help patients navigate their journey toward healing.

As members of the multidisciplinary health-care team in mental-health services, psychiatric technicians work in various facilities, including hospitals, residential treatment centers, outpatient clinics and other areas, assisting with the care of patients with behavioral and developmental disorders.

Psychiatric Technicians provide support to patients, ensuring their needs are met through assisting with activities of daily living and more. You can prepare for this role by taking course work in psychology, nursing, health sciences and communication.

This program provides you with the classroom content to take the Level 1 and Level 2 exams for national certification from the American Association of Psychiatric Technicians (AAPT). This program requires completion of the plan of study followed by one year of working in the field. This certification is designed to allow completers to gain recognition as nursing paraprofessionals leading to better wages and advancement.

This is a limited enrollment program.

Curriculum

Earn your Psychiatric Technician certificate by completing the following required courses.

Prerequisites

You must complete the following courses prior to entering the Psychiatric Technician Certificate program. By completing CNA 111 and 112, you will earn a CNA Certificate through Harper College.

Course #	Course Title	Credits
CNA 111	Nursing Assistant Training	4
CNA 112	Nursing Assistant Training: Clinical Experience	2
PSY 101	Introduction to Psychology	3
BIO 135	Introduction to Human Anatomy and Physiology May accept BIO 260 and 261 as course substitution.	4

First Semester

A grade of C or better in all coursework is required for all students.

Course #	Course Title	Credits
HSC 165	Basic Pharmacology	1
PSY 228	Psychology of Human Development	3
PSY 230	Abnormal Psychology	3
PSY 220	Biological Basis of Behavior	3
NUR 115	Concepts of Psychiatric Care	2

Second Semester

A grade of C or better in all coursework is required for all students.

Course #	Course Title	Credits
SPE 215	Intercultural Communication	3
HSC 213	Legal and Ethical Issues in Healthcare	2
NUR 208	Care of Individuals with Developmental and Behavioral Disorders	3
NUR 225	Principles of Mental Health Counseling and Group Therapy	1
NUR 230	Mental Health Communities and Practicum	3

Psychiatric Technician Careers

Psych technicians are in strong demand in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin region, with job growth expected to increase by 6.5% over the next 7 years. Some of the most common job titles posted include Behavior Health Technicians, Mental Health Technicians, Psychiatrict Technicians and Behavioral Health Specialists.

Top Chicago-area employers include Ascension, Northwestern Medicine, Northshore University Health System, and the State of Illinois. To learn more visit the Psychiatric Technician Career Profile
(Source: Lightcast)

For more information about starting your nursing education at Harper, please contact Admissions Outreach at 847.925.6700 or fill out our request information form.